Missing Caliper Brake Bolts after servive/Mot

[maria 21]

Hi I was hoping someone could offer me some advice. 2 weeks ago I had a service and mot at a local garage. It passed with no problems. a week later I was driving and a loud noise was coming from the front pass side wheel. Not knowing what it was I pulled over and phoned the AA.

 

It was found that both caliper break bolts were missing! AA man was very shocked! the noise was the caliper banging against the wheel.

 

I phoned the garage who was very very apologetic. They offered to take car back and check it over. I said no as I didn't trust them and didn't feel safe. They then payed for another garage to collect car and give it a health check.

 

The manager has phoned me back several times and has given me his personal number. He seems genuinly upset by the situation.

 

I don't know if I should take it further or hope that the garage has learnt its lesson?

 

The AA man said it should be referred to ministry of Transport? Is that right? How do I do it?

 

 

Thanks , Maria

[rebel11]

Hi maria

 

Welcome to CAG

 

I think you should lodge a complaint with your local Trading Standards.

 

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

[Surfer01]

You could have been killed or seriously injured. Lodge a complaint with VOSA as the car should not have passed a MOT!

[maria 21]

Thanks, According to the paper work though the MOT was done in the morning when the brakes were fine. They then took them out and greased them as part of the service in the afternoon. It was at this point when they were either not put back correctly or not put back at all!

 

Is it still Vosa i need to contact even if the damage was done after the MOT was completed?

[Surfer01]

Logic dictates the service should have happened first and then MOT as during the service they may pick up something that could affect the MOT.

[dannysport]

they will just say the bolts could of come undone at any time

its was upto spec to pass its MOT in the morining

[crem]

Why would they be removing brake caliper bolts for a service or MOT?

[Hammy1962]

Well maybe they were just trying to go that extra mile and achieve outstanding customer service by including a thorougher brake check with there standard service. More than most would do, as regularly pointed out on here.

 

Maybe the mechanic got distracted after finger tightening the bolts, they came loose and fell out, it was a mistake. Mistakes happen to the best of people, even Judges, Trading Standards drones and pretty much anyone else. Of course CAG doesn't allow for human error. The collective want retribution.

 

The guy feels very bad, he offered to fix it, he then paid for someone else to fix it and gave you his number.

 

If he's a one man band, maybe take him to court, his business will fold, family on the streets, is that enough of a punishment?

 

If it was an employee, maybe he deserves the sack, that should do it, another person claiming benefits.

 

Be thankful no children or kittens were injured and move on.

 

Or maybe you want him to really suffer!!

 

H

[maria 21]

I really don't want him to suffer, he seems like a lovely man and has been very polite and seems genuinly upset by the whole situation. Thats my dilemma! My heart tells me he has learnt his lesson. it wasn't him it was a young mechanic who was at fault. Although the boss is blaming himself for putting him under too much pressure! (nice genuine man)

 

My head on the other hand tells me that if the same mistake was to happen to someone else they may not be as lucky as me! And therefore by not reporting it I would sort of be responsible?!!

 

I'm not good at this Heart and Head stuff (Heart usually wins!)

[rambo]

TBH, I would accept the owners apoligy, there are plenty of dodgy garages out there that would not care and get away with it.

The owner has been 100 % fair, and tried to do the right thing.

He made a mistake and has addmitted it.

[maria 21]

Thanks, Think that was the answer I wanted to hear! Thats how I feel about it just difficult with pressure from friends/family the other garage and the aa man all telling me I need to do something else!

 

At least there's another person out there whos with me!

[j66]

The AA may be household name with a good reputation, but in my experience they aren't always right. They sometimes do a good job in pointing the customer in the wrong direction. We had a case of a 3 day old car where the customer was told by the breakdown company that its back axle was about to fall off, understandably the customer appeared in quite a heated mood. The actual fault was that a long rod had gone through one of the rear tyres and was hitting the inside of the wheel every time it went round.

 

The garage seems genuinely concerned, nobody was hurt and their intention to do a good service on the vehicle has gone awry. They have sorted the problem and they will not make a similar mistake again.

 

Logic dictates the service should have happened first and then MOT as during the service they may pick up something that could affect the MOT.

 

We book MOTs in hourly slots throughout the day, a booking for say 10 will not give enough time beforehand for a service. You can notice MOT items on a service, but you may not have time to fix them, you may not be able to contact the customer in time to fix them or the parts may not be available in time.

 

I think that VOSA actually prefer the MOT to be done first as it gives them a truer picture of what defects vehicles are been driven with.

[maria 21]

Thats it! Decision made. Will phone the nice man later and tell him to stop worrying. I've never got cross or shouted at anyone as I didn't think it would be help! Its all been very pleasant communication and he even phoned from a football match on saturday because he couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened. and his team lost so all in all a pretty bad weekend for the chap!

 

Think hes probably suffered enough now!!!

[rambo]

Right decision maria.

And if you go back there again, i'm sure you will get a big discount.

[maria 21]

Thanks! Not sure I will be going back there again though LOL:roll: